Ben Clanton

Just in time for Valentine's Day there's a new volume in the Narwhal and Jelly series. In this installment, Nahwhal and Jelly are getting ready for their best adventure yet. Jelly gives Narwhal a Palentine's card, catching Narwhal unprepared. And thus starts Narwhal's quest to create the best Palentine's Day ever for Jelly. But when will the best adventure yet begin?

This is such a sweet book! Narwhal and Jelly are cute, identifiable characters, and the silliness of Narwhal's ever-expanding show more Palentine's celebration is pure, goofy comedy. The book is chock-full of word play and includes a surprising short digression into symbiotic relationships, among other embedded text forms. But mostly it's a celebration of love and friendship, and of course it ends happily.

This book would be great for paired reading, but the illustrations will support a beginning reader's independence (although there are a few words, such as "symbiotic," that may require assistance from a more experienced reader). Read this book to revel in the warm, positive energy of an enduring friendship — and maybe pick up a copy of this book for the Jelly or Narwhal in your relationship.

I loved this book and hope you'll love it, too. show less

I received a free copy of A Waffle Lot of Love by author and illustrator Ben Clanton in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful and clever addition to the Narwhal and Jelly series! This newest installment is bursting with playful humour, filled with one witty play-on-words after another. Our beloved Narwhal is certainly no ne’er-do-well as he enthusiastically tries to make up for forgetting that it’s “Palentine’s Day” for his best friend, Jelly.
Ben Clanton once again showcases show more his talent for crafting a graphic novel that celebrates the joy of language. His clever wordplay and gentle jokes model for young readers that experimenting with sounds, words, and even social rules can be fun, creative, and entirely okay. This kind of linguistic play is incredibly valuable—it helps children build confidence, expand their vocabulary, and strengthen communication skills in a low pressure, deeply engaging way.
A charming, funny, and thematically rich read that continues to highlight why this series is so beloved in classrooms and homes alike. show less

(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.)

As loyal readers of the Narwhal and Jelly series already know, Narwhal (aka the unicorn of the sea) is an amiable sea creature who loves waffles, silly puns, and spur of the moment adventures almost as much as they love their bestie, Jelly the jellyfish. (Leslie Knope can relate. Insert "Ann, you poetic, noble land-mermaid" gif here.)

The duo's latest adventure is truly epic: in a show more quest to meet a real mermaid (aka, the narwhal of land), several wishes upon a star will bring Narwhal onto terra firma - and then launch them into outer space! But that's not the half of it: Narwhal will also gain some introspection, as they realize how to be a better listener and friend.

The Narwhal and Jelly series is a super-cute and kind weird series for younger readers. The art is simply adorable and, while the rhyming sometimes gets a little cringey for these adult ears, I'm sure kids will love it.

Also, there has never been a sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food.

(Unicorns and Parks & Rec references, what's not to love?) show less

Author/illustrator Ben Clanton explores the world of American party politics in this amusing picture-book, as Donkey and Elephant - the symbols of the Democratic and Republican Parties - square off against one another. Each one contends that they are the better candidate, and that the voter should choose them. Soon their championing of their own virtues leads to mudslinging, and pointing out their opponent's vices. Unbeknownst to them, however, a third party has gotten involved...

Simple show more enough for a young picture-book audience to understand - children may not know about the electoral college, but they know ALL about name-calling, after all! - but clever enough to entertain adult readers - I think we'll all recognize these behaviors - Vote for Me! is an excellent introduction to the nature of party politics and electioneering in the USA, pitfalls and all. I enjoyed the narrative, which I found quite amusing, and thought the artwork captured the humor of the story perfectly. Clanton has managed to distill some home truths about our political system here, presenting them in an entertaining way. Recommended to anyone looking for fun picture-books to explains American party politics and elections to younger children. show less